January 25, 2012
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Valerie’s Vineyard
| Owner(s) | Michael Coats, Valerie Coats, Chuck Hanson, Jerry Hanson |
| Web site | www.valeriesvineyard.com |
| Link to this site |
A single wine from a single 1-acre vineyard from the Carneros region of Sonoma County. Forget small, we are talking tiny here. Only 70 cases were produced from the 1-acre Valerie’s Vineyard in 2008. This vineyard is a group managed affair, the result of a partnership between long time Sonoma County public relations person Michael Coats, his wife Valerie, her parents and sister, and Chuck Hanson, a wine buyer for Hi-Time Cellars in Costa Mesa, California, for 53 years, and Jerry Hanson. Each of the partners share equally in the work of the vineyard which is organically farmed and overseen by viticulturist Phil Cotourri.
The vineyard, formerly the site of a plum orchard, was originally planted in 2000 by vineyardist Chuy Ordaz on resistant rootstock and a secret Russian River Valley sourced clone. The land sits less than 500 feet from the appellation line dividing Sonoma Valley and Sonoma Carneros. The first release was in 2003. Yields are just under 2 tons per acre with production less than 100 cases.
The Valerie’s Vineyard Pinot Noir is crafted by B.R. Cohn Winery winemaker, Tom Montgomery, at B.R. Cohn Winery in Glen Ellen. Both of the previous two vintages of Valerie’s Vineyard Pinot Noir were stellar and were reviewed previously (www.princeofpinot.com/winery/811/).
Valerie’s Vineyard Pinot Noir may be acquired by e-mailing michael@coatspr.com or visiting the Hit-Time Cellars website at www.hitimewine.net. There is limited Sonoma Valley restaurant and retail distribution.
Articles About Valerie’s Vineyard
Reviewed Wines
2009 Valerie’s Vineyard One Acre Carneros Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., 75 cases, $40. From a small vineyard in
the southern Sonoma Valley farmed by three families. Produced and bottled at B.R. Cohn Winery. Aged 18
months in new and twice-used French oak barrels.
·
Medium reddish-purple hue in the glass. Lovely aromas of
ripe cherries, red plums and Provencal herbs. Moderately light in weight with “crunchy” red cherry and red
raspberry flavors and a sidecar of savory herbs, cola, raisin and vanillin. Picks up character and intensity in the
glass over time but veers a little to the raisiny, porto side. Admirable finesse and a zippy lift of acid on the
refreshing finish. A lighter weighted, redder-fruited vintage for this vineyard. Source: website and Hi-Time
Cellars in Costa Mesa, CA. Good.
Reviewed July 1, 2011
ARTICLE »
2008 Valerie’s Vineyard Carneros Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., $40. Aged
18 months in new and two-year-old French oak barrels.
·
Ornate aromas
and flavors of dark berries, Mu Shu plum sauce, cassis, tea, brown spice,
and loamy earth. Very smoothly textured with finely ground tannins and
amazing persistence of perfectly ripe fruit on the finish. The wine really
grows on you over time. Will benefit from 1 to 2 more years in bottle.
Year in and year out, one of the best Pinot Noirs to come out of Carneros.
Reviewed December 14, 2010
ARTICLE »
2007 Valerie’s Vineyard Carneros Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., 88 cases, $40. Aged
in a mix of new and two-year-old French oak barrels for 17 months.
·
Nuanced nose
offering pleasing aromas of dark berries, black plums, pine, dark caramel and soy
sauce. Deep in color but moderately light in weight with plenty of dark fruit powered
pleasure. Bright and focused with gossamer tannins offering alluring
Pinot delicacy. A beautifully crafted wine that makes a statement and is well worth
a search. A gem.
Reviewed February 15, 2010
ARTICLE »
2006 Valerie’s Vineyard Carneros Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., 132 cases,
$40, very heavy bottle. Aged in a mix of new and two-year-old French oak
barrels for 17 months.
·
The nose offers the aromas of a fresh berry tart
with a dusting of oak. Plenty of body and weight to the cherry and berries
flavors which are framed by healthy tannins. The most striking feature of
this wine is the velvety texture. Over time in the glass, the wine really
grows on you as it reveals many nuances of flavor including cola and tea but it is
the sensual mouthfeel that lures you back for another sip.
Reviewed May 7, 2009
ARTICLE »
2009 Valerie’s Vineyard One Acre Carneros Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., 75 cases, $40. From a small vineyard in the southern Sonoma Valley farmed by three families. Produced and bottled at B.R. Cohn Winery. Aged 18 months in new and twice-used French oak barrels. · Medium reddish-purple hue in the glass. Lovely aromas of ripe cherries, red plums and Provencal herbs. Moderately light in weight with “crunchy” red cherry and red raspberry flavors and a sidecar of savory herbs, cola, raisin and vanillin. Picks up character and intensity in the glass over time but veers a little to the raisiny, porto side. Admirable finesse and a zippy lift of acid on the refreshing finish. A lighter weighted, redder-fruited vintage for this vineyard. Source: website and Hi-Time Cellars in Costa Mesa, CA. Good. Reviewed July 1, 2011 ARTICLE »
2008 Valerie’s Vineyard Carneros Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., $40. Aged 18 months in new and two-year-old French oak barrels. · Ornate aromas and flavors of dark berries, Mu Shu plum sauce, cassis, tea, brown spice, and loamy earth. Very smoothly textured with finely ground tannins and amazing persistence of perfectly ripe fruit on the finish. The wine really grows on you over time. Will benefit from 1 to 2 more years in bottle. Year in and year out, one of the best Pinot Noirs to come out of Carneros. Reviewed December 14, 2010 ARTICLE »
2007 Valerie’s Vineyard Carneros Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., 88 cases, $40. Aged in a mix of new and two-year-old French oak barrels for 17 months. · Nuanced nose offering pleasing aromas of dark berries, black plums, pine, dark caramel and soy sauce. Deep in color but moderately light in weight with plenty of dark fruit powered pleasure. Bright and focused with gossamer tannins offering alluring Pinot delicacy. A beautifully crafted wine that makes a statement and is well worth a search. A gem. Reviewed February 15, 2010 ARTICLE »
2006 Valerie’s Vineyard Carneros Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., 132 cases, $40, very heavy bottle. Aged in a mix of new and two-year-old French oak barrels for 17 months. · The nose offers the aromas of a fresh berry tart with a dusting of oak. Plenty of body and weight to the cherry and berries flavors which are framed by healthy tannins. The most striking feature of this wine is the velvety texture. Over time in the glass, the wine really grows on you as it reveals many nuances of flavor including cola and tea but it is the sensual mouthfeel that lures you back for another sip. Reviewed May 7, 2009 ARTICLE »
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